New ABC Comedy Series 'Family Tools' Changes Showrunners

EXCLUSIVE: There has been a change at the helm of the upcoming ABC comedy series The Family Tools. Bobby Bowman, who developed the adaptation of the British comedy White Van Man and wrote the pilot, has stepped down as executive producer/showrunner of the series. Veterans Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimiglia (That ’70s Show) have come in as executive producers and new showrunners. I hear the change stems from ABC and ABC Studios’ desire to have someone with showrunner experience steering the series. This is Bowman’s first series as a creator and/or showrunner. He previously worked as a key writer-producer on Greg Garcia’s three comedy series: Yes, Dear, My Name Is Earl and Raising Hope. I hear the network and the studio valued Bowman’s voice on the show and offered him to stay on staff but he chose to step aside and give the new showrunners a clean slate.

Family Tools centers on Jack Shea (Kyle Bornheimer) who inherits his father’s (J.K. Simmons) handyman business after he has a heart attack. Co-starring on the show, slated to launch in January, are Edi Gathegi, Danielle Nicolet, Leah Remini and Johnny Pemberton. Sternin and Ventimiglia will executive produce alongside Mark Gordon, Andrea Shay and Paul Buccieri.

8 Comments

Kablam • on Aug 16, 2012 11:39 pm

Man. This show is doomed. Prob my least favorite comedy pilot after Saved. However, I thought it still had potential since Bowman is a real talent and wrote some of my favorite Earl’s and Raising Hopes. J.K Simmons deserves better. The Bornheimer curse continues!!!! How many shows does this dude have to kill??

Mark • on Aug 17, 2012 12:00 am

Is there time to recast Kyle Bornheimer’s part? He’s awful in everything he does and is the absolute kiss of death to any show.

Meredith • on Aug 17, 2012 7:04 am

Lousy, unfunny script, terrible, unfunny, unlikable cast (except JK Simmons) now they can the showrunner. Never knew why this got picked up, looks like six and out, or a summer burn off.

Johnny Stickio • on Aug 17, 2012 9:26 am

Actually saw the pilot… It is really well done and Kyle fits the role perfectly. JK and Leah have great chemistry. A really solid single camera comedy that works. And it’s great to see Leah back.

Kennyj • on Aug 17, 2012 10:40 am

Agree….this pilot was better than most of the new comedies this year (“guys with kids” anyone?). A super sturdy premises with a super appealing comedic cast. And btw, Bornheimer is the best part of any show he does — “worst week” was hilarious and should still be on the air if CBS could figure out how to do single cam coms

Zachary • on Aug 17, 2012 12:37 pm

Just think of it this way. We are getting rid of the Yes, Dear guy and replacing him with the That ’70s Show guys. I like the sound of that. And Kyle Bornheimer is awesome. Worst Week was an amazing show and Perfect Couples was a good show. And he was better in Worst Week than Ben Miller was in The Worst Week of My Life.

TVlady • on Aug 17, 2012 1:39 pm

Poor, poor writing staff.

Torrencia • on Aug 17, 2012 3:54 pm

Great, stand-up guys who also happen to be extremely talented. Yay for them!